Voters approve all north country school budgets
May 16—Residents across the north country approved all 2023-24 school district budgets and multiple propositions in voting Tuesday.
In the Watertown City School District, voters approved a $92,067,925 spending plan for the coming year, a $9,084,856, or 10.9% increase over the $82,983,069 contained in the 2022-23 budget.
The proposed tax levy, or the amount to be raised from taxpayers, will rise 2.25%, from $17,117,785 in 2022-23 to $17,502,935 in the coming year, a $385,150 increase.
Voters in the district also elected three school board members. Jason B. Harrington (715 votes) and John A. Cain III (656 votes ) were elected to three-year board seats, while Milagros C. "Milly" Smith (567 votes) was elected to fill the remainder of a term that expires in June 2024. Her term starts today.
Voting results include:
JEFFERSON COUNTY
Alexandria: Budget $15,902,241 Yes 265 No 47
Proposition to establish a capital reserve fund Approved
Proposition to purchase two buses and a school vehicle Approved
Proposition to add $15,000 to library funding Approved
Christine Lingenfelter, Emily Chase and Christopher Symenow elected to three-year board seats
Belleville Henderson: Budget $12,371,405 Yes 153 No 65
Proposition to add $6,000 to library funding 179-38
Roger E. Eastman (189 votes) and Kristin Vaughn (185) elected to five-year board seats
Carthage: Budget $69,204,529 Yes 260 No 73
Proposition to establish a capital reserve fund Approved
Proposition for library funding Approved
Jonathan "JJ" Schell, Janice Gravely and Robert Wilson elected to three-year seats
General Brown: Budget $27,916,460 Yes 242 No 82
Proposition to purchase four buses 255-62
Jason Reynolds (268 votes) and Natalie Hurley (262) elected to three-year board seats
Indian River: Budget $98,260,644 Yes 133 No 19
Proposition for library funding 132-20
Shelly Eggleston (123 votes) and Thomas Lapp (129) elected to five-year board terms
LaFargeville: Budget $12,343,431 Approved
Proposition to establish a $3 million capital reserve fund Approved
Matthew Timerman elected to five-year board seat
Lyme: Budget $8,984,952 Yes 159 No 32
Proposition for library funding 153-37
Darrell DeMotta (154 votes) elected to five-year board seat
Sackets Harbor: Budget $9,959,784 Yes 123 No 22
Proposition to purchase one bus 125-19
Proposition for library funding 97-47
Cheryl Chaif (132 votes) elected to five-year board seat
South Jefferson: Budget $42,483,308 Yes 231 No 76
Proposition for the purchase of four buses 252-55
Proposition to add $10,000 to library funding 227-81
Carrie A. Mangino (155 votes) elected to five-year board seat
Thousand Islands: Budget $22,800,000 Yes 228 No 28
Proposition for library funding 216-40
Erin Churchill (243 votes), Timothy Wiley (237) and Brooke Roes (68) elected to board seats
Watertown: Budget $92,067,925 Yes 798 No 345
Proposition for $1.4 million capital improvement project 813-325
Jason B. Harrington (715 votes) and John A. Cain III (656) were elected to three-year board seats
Milagros C. "Milly" Smith (567 votes) was elected to fill the remainder of a term that expires in 2024 June
LEWIS COUNTY
Beaver River: Budget $20,825,068 Yes 469 No 225
Holly Aucter (369 votes) elected to board seat
Copenhagen: Budget $12,026,424 Yes 96 No 16
Proposition to transport Head Start pupils 103-7
Proposition to establish Energy Systems Tax Stabilization Reserve Fund 85-25
James Harter (65 votes) elected to five-year board seat
Harrisville: Budget $11,564,651 Yes 82 No 23
Proposition to purchase two buses 83-22
Denise Avallone (88 votes) and Heidi McIntosh (87 votes) elected to five-year board seats
Lowville Academy: Budget $30,147,792 Yes 916 No 297
Proposition to purchase three buses 960-260
Proposition to transport Head Start pupils 1,083-138
Stephanie Houser Fouse (675 votes), Steven Fuller (731 votes) and Cheyenne Steria (724 votes) elected to board seats
South Lewis: Budget $29,899,550 Yes 245 No 77
Proposition to purchase seven buses 235-86
Proposition to add $10,000 to library funding 246-75
Thomas Burmingham elected to board seat
ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY
Canton: Budget $37,160,000 Yes 355 No 94
Proposition to purchase three buses 347-74
Proposition for library funding 353-94
Daniel Thomas (301 votes), Esther Oey (286) and Catherine Devins (267) elected to board seats
Clifton-Fine: Budget $11,645,892, approved by voters
Colton-Pierrepont: Budget $12,233,012 Yes 159 No 41
$12 million capital project 164-34
Proposition to purchase a bus 178-22
Lorraine Gowing (179 votes), Chad VanBrocklin (167 votes) and Clint Perrigo (165 votes) elected to four-year board seats
Edwards-Knox: Budget $16,979,842 Yes 114 No 22
Proposition to purchase two buses 123-14
Heidi Stalker (114 votes) and Jamie Gibson (110 votes) elected to five-year board seats
Jennifer Benson-Baxter (107 votes) and John "Jack" Zeh (97 votes) elected to one-year seats
Gouverneur: Budget $43,635,420 Yes 208 No 116
Proposition to establish a transportation capital reserve fund 201-122
Brooke Bush (248 votes), David Fenlong (233 votes) and Todd Bates (184 votes) elected to three-year board seats
Hammond: Budget $9,523,247 Yes 74 No 17
Proposition to increase library funding by $3,000 79-12
Daniel Pease (69 votes) elected to five-year board seat and Sarah Perretta (74) votes elected to one-year seat
Heuvelton: Budget $16,459,180 Yes 133 No 27
Proposition to establish $6.5 million capital reserve fund 128-27
Proposition to elect student representative to board 132-24
Michael Macaulay (96 votes) elected to five-year seat and Jamie Lopez (72 votes) elected to one-year seat
Hermon-DeKalb: Budget $14,262,451 Yes 160 No 24
Proposition to purchase two buses 158-25
Proposition for $10,000 annual library funding 143-42
Michael Robinson (138 votes) and Ross Putman (136 votes) elected to five-year board seats
John Wright (105 votes) elected to two-year seat
Lisbon: Budget $17,249,863 Yes 145 No 138
Eric Walker (214 votes) elected to five-year seat
Madrid-Waddington: Budget $20,727,836 Yes 129 No 28
Proposition to purchase three buses 139-18
Proposition for $100,000 capital reserve fund for windows 143-13
Charles Grant and Katie Logan elected to five-year board seats
Massena: Budget $69,832,522 Yes 357 No 62
Proposition for creation of $9 million capital reserve fund 341-74
Zachary Monroe (301 votes) elected to five-year board seat and Joyce Giroux (298 votes) elected to three-year seat
Morristown: Budget $11,522,827 Yes 131 No 41
Proposition to add $3,118 library funding 119-52
Lisa Thompson (68 votes) elected to three-year board seat
Norwood-Norfolk: Budget $28,848,942 Yes 145 No 20
Proposition for $3 million capital reserve fund for buses 160-26
Proposition for $5 million capital reserve fund for buildings/grounds 162-23
Heaven Simons (138 votes), Amy LaCroix (141 votes) and Marela Fiacco (158 votes) elected to three-year board seats
Ogdensburg: Budget $55,261,205 Yes 189 No 43
Proposition for $3 million capital project at OFA 182-48
Pamela Luckie (212 votes) elected to five-year board seat
Parishville-Hopkinton: Budget $13,213,861 Yes 226 No 66
Christina Snell (199 votes) and Jared Remington (196 votes) elected to board
Potsdam: Budget $37,934,959 Yes 291 No 59
Proposition to purchase two buses 306-45
Keith Sapp (284 votes), Jarrod Davis (267 votes) and Enrico (Rick) Miller (71 votes) elected to board
St. Lawrence Central: Budget $29,821,563 Yes 165 No 22
Proposition for $4 million capital reserve fund for buses 146-41
Proposition to purchase three buses 156-31
Bethany St. Hilaire (156 votes) and Beth Todd (163 votes) elected to five-year board seats